Method and apparatus for weaving novelty fabric



1966 s. c. VENEY ETAL.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING NOVELTY FABRIC Filed Dec. 29, 1964 l mm w MW 4 m m M w 5 B I5 :4 W MfiEQJLg MM ATTORNEYS Dec. 13, 1966 s. c.VENEY ETAL BELWQ METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING NOVELTY FABRIC FiledDec. 29, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 M 0 4| ii 40 aoj 44 I J a ll Z\ j I 20Enwxo CARL VENE-Y and Bum? M. LANCASTER ATTORNEYS INVENTORS Dec. 13,1966 s. c. VENEY ETAL 3291,19

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WEAVING NOVELTY FABRIC Filed Dec. 29, 1964 4Sheets-Sheet v Li'ig; M4: 50 41 INVENTORS: Emu/x0 CARL. \lENEY Elna.ELM-102B M. LANCASTER.

ffiaiJug W ATTORNEY S Dec. 13, 1966 s. c. VENEY ETAL 3,2913% METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR WEAVING NOVELTY FABRIC Filed Dec. 29, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet4.

INVENTORsi 5n.v\o CARL VENE-Y aml ""8 Y I BuFosab M. LANcAsTEva BYWWMZgMW M ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,291,160 METHOD AND APPARATUS FGRWEAVING NOVELTY FABRIC @ilvio Carl Veney, Rutherfordton, and Buford M.Lancaster, Spindale, N.C., assignors to Stonecntter Mills Corporation,Spindale, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Dec. 29, 1964,Ser. No. 421,859 5 Claims. (Cl. l39224) This invention relates to amethod and apparatus for weaving novelty fabric and more particularly toa method and apparatus for weaving novelty fabric having a plurality offilling yarns uniformly twisted together in each pick of the fabric.

In weaving this type of novelty fabric, it is desirable to have thesefilling yarns uniformly twisted together in each pick to provide auniform effect and appearance in the fabric. It has been found that thepreferred method of providing uniformity in the twist of the fillingyarns is by winding the plurality of filling yarns in parallelrelationship on a bobbin and then axially withdrawing the filling yarnsfrom the bobbin during the insertion of each pick in the weavingoperation. This axial withdrawing of the parallel disposed filling yarnswill impart a uniform twist to the yarns to produce the desired effectsand appearances in the novelty fabric.

Presently available winding and weaving methods and apparatuses do notlend themselves to obtaining uniformity in the novelty fabrics made inaccordance with the above described method. It is presently the practicein textile operations to perform most of the filling bobbin winding awayfrom the loom on winding machines having a plurality of winding stationsseparate from the loom and then manually transport the wound bobbins tothe loom for manual or automatic insertion into the shuttle of the loom.When utilizing this procedure to wind a plurality of filling yarns on asingle bobbin, non-uniformity will result in the winding operation fromwinding machine to winding machine and even from winding station towinding station on the same machine due to unavoidable variances in theoperation of the different mechanisms, such as feeding, tensioning,winding, etc. This non-uniformity in the winding operation will causenon-uniformity in the twist produced in the filling yarns insertedduring weaving in each pick and thereby destroy the desired uniformityin the novelty fabric.

Also, during the subsequent manual handling of the filling bobbins intransporting them from the winding machines to the looms, the parallelarrangement of the filling yarns on the bobbins will be disturbed ordisarranged which will destroy the uniformity in the novelty fabric.

A further and perhaps more important disadvantage of these prior windingand weaving operations is that during the manual handling of the woundbobbins in supplying them to the loom, one or more of the individualfilling yarns may become partially unwound from the bobbin causing someof the yarns to lead other of the yarns during weaving. This leading ofone or more of the filling yarns with respect to other of the fillingyarns will cause breakage of the filling yarns and non-uniformity in thetwist obtained.

A mechanism, such as described in US. Patent No. 2,638,936, issued May19, 1953, is available for winding "ice filling bobbins at the loom.However, this mechanism does not lend itself to the winding of :aplurality of filling yarns on a single bobbin because of thedifficulties in maintaining tensions, preventing end breakage, obtainingparallelization of yarns, and the like. This mechanism is intended towind a single filling yarn on bobbins and does not include the requiredapparatus for separately handling, tensioning, winding, etc. a pluralityof filling yarns in parallel relationship on bobbins.

These and other difiiculties and limitations in presently availableapparatuses and methods have made it virtually impossible or very hardto produce a novelty fabric having a plurality of filling yarnsuniformly twisted together in each pick of the fabric.

It is therefore the object of this invention to provide a method ofweaving novelty fabric having a plurality of filling yarns uniformlytwisted together in the fabric to provide the desired effects andappearances in the novelty fabric.

It has been found that this object may be accomplished by providing amethod of weaving novelty fabrics including the steps of winding aplurality of filling yarns in parallel relationship on bobbins by asingle apparatus attached to the loom to provide uniformity in thewinding operation, automatically supplying the wound bobbins to theshuttle of the loom to eliminate manual handling of the wound bobbinsand to preserve the uniformity obtained in the winding step, weaving thenovelty fabric on the loom by inserting the plurality of filling yarnscontained on each bobbin into each pick of the novelty fabric, andimparting a uniform twist to the filling yarns during weaving by axiallywithdrawing the filling yarns from the bobbin during .each pick so thatthe desired effects will be uniformly produced in the novelty fabric.

It is a further object of this invention to provide apparatus forweaving novelty fabric having a plurality of filling yarns uniformlytwisted together to uniformly produce the desired effects andappearances in the woven novelty fabric.

It has been found that this object may be accomplished by providingapparatus for weaving novelty fabric of the type set forth above havingmeans for supplying a plurality of filling yarns, a single meansattached to the loom for winding the filling yarns in parallelrelationship on the bobbins to produce uniformity in the windingoperation, and means for automatically supplying the wound bobbins tothe shuttle of the loom to eliminate manual handling of the woundbobbins and preserve the uniformity in the parallel arrangement of thefilling yarns on the bobbins.

This object may be further accomplished by providing apparatus, as setforth above, including means attached to the loom for separately andindividually tensioning each filling yarn between the supply means andthe winding means to maintain the filling yarns separated to ensure theparallel relationship of the filling yarns after winding and includingindividual stop motion means for each of the filling yarns operativelyassociated with the winding means to stop operation thereof when any ofthe filling yarns break between the filling yarn supply means and thewinding means.

Some of the objects of this invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds when taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a perspective view ofthe apparatus for winding a plurality of filling yarns in parallelrelationship on bobbins at the loom;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of a portion of an automatic loomhaving the apparatus of FIGURE 1 attached thereto;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of a section of the lay of the loom takensubstantially along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 and illustrating thefilling yarns being withdrawn axially from the bobbin to impart auniform twist thereto.

FIGURE 4 is a partial side elevational view of the top portion of theapparatus of FIGURE 1 illustrating the mountings of the supply means forthe plurality of filling yarns to be wound on the bobbins;

FIGURE 5 is a partial side elevational view with parts removed of theapparatus of FIGURE 1 illustrating the tensioning means and the stopmotion means for the fiilling yarns;

FIGURE 6 is at top plan view of a portion of the stop motion means takensubstantially along the line 66 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a filling bobbin wound with aplurality of filling yarns in parallel relationship; and

FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic view of the stop motion means and electricalcircuit therefor.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIGURES 1 and 2 there is illustrated aportion of an automatic loom, generally indicated by the referencenumeral 10, showing the reciprocating lay mechanism 11, shuttle 12received in box 13 at the end of the lay, the picker stick 14 fordriving the shuttle from this end of the loom, and the various otherinstrumentalities generally employed in automatic looms. This loomoperates to weave fabric in a manner well understood by those withordinary skill in the art and will not be explained in detail herein.

The automatic loom further includes a conventional bobbin changingmagazine mechanism, generally indicated by the reference numeral 20.This bobbin changing magazine mechanism 20 is mounted on the loom 10 andincludes a magazine 21 for holding wound bobbins 22 prior to insertionin the shuttle 12 of the loom 10, a transfer hammer mechanism 23'forreplacing the empty bobbin in the shuttle with a filled bobbin from themagazine, and a rotating drum type end holder 24 for holding the ends ofthe filling yarns while the wound bobbins are disposed in the magazine.This mechanism also operates in a manner well understood by those withordinary skill in the art and its component parts and operation will notbe described in detail herein.

The automatic loom 10 further includes a bobbin winding mechanism,generally indicated by the reference numeral 30. This bobbin windingmechanism is the type disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,368,936, issued May19, 1953 and reference may be had to that patent for a description ofthe component parts and operation of this mechanism. This deviceincludes a means 31 for holding an empty bobbin and rotating same forwinding the filling yarns thereon, a traversing mechanism 32 fortraversely winding the filling yarns on the bobbin, and other mechanismsas more fully described in the above mentioned US patent.

The above described automatic loom 10, automatic bobbin changingmagazine mechanism 20 and automatic bobbin winding mechanism 30 areconventional mechanisms utilized in many loom operations.

According to this invention, it is desired to produce a novelty fabrichaving a plurality of filling yarns uniformly twisted together in thefabric to produce the desired effects and appearances uniformly in thenovelty fabric. In order to accomplish this, it has been found that if aplurality of filling yarns are wound in parallel relationship on asingle bobbin by a single apparatus attached to the loom andautomatically supplied to the shuttle of the loom without manualhandling that upon axial withdrawal of the filling yarns from the bobbinduring weaving a uniform twist will be imparted to the filling yarns ineach pick of the fabric to provide these desired results.

In order to utilize the above described conventional apparatus forperforming the method of this invention, supply means, generallyindicated by the reference numeral 40, for supplying a plurality offilling yarns 41 must be provided. Thus supply means 40 includes aplurality of conical packages 42 of filling yarn 41 supported onseparate spindles 43 mounted on and projecting above separate shelves 44which are supported on brackets 45 attached to any stationary portion ofthe loom or winding mechanism.

It is also necessary to provide a tensioning means, generally indicatedby the reference numeral 50, for separately handling and individuallytensioning each of the filling yarns 41 as they are led from the supplymeans 40 to the winding mechanism 30. This separate handling andindividual tensioning of the filling yarns 41 is essential to obtain thedesired parallel relationship in the winding operation and to preventthe filling yarns from becoming twisted together or otherwise. Thetensioning means comprises a shelf or support 51 mounted on thestationary frame portion of the loom or any stationary frame portion ofany of the mechanisms. The plate 51 supports a plurality of cooperatingdiscs 52 and 53 rotatable about vertical spindles 54. These cooperatingdiscs 52 and 53 are disposed in individual rows for receiving andtensioning a separate filling yarn in each row between the cooperatingdiscs. The number of rows of cooperating discs is dependent upon themaximum number of filling yarns to be wound on a single bobbin.

As may be seen in FIGURES 1 and 8, the individual filling yarns 41 areled separately from the supply cones 42 to the individual rows ofcooperating discs 52 and 53 in the tensioning means 50 and aremaintained separate to prevent intermingling or twisting together of thevarious yarns. From the tensioning means 50, the yarns are led to aU-shaped guide member where they are maintained in parallel relationshipdue to the individual tensioning of the tensioning means. From theU-shaped guide member 60, the filling yarns 41 are led in parallelrelationship to the traversing mechanism 32 to be wound in the windingmechanism 30 in parallel relationship on a bobbin 22.

Between the U-shaped guide 60 and the traversing mechanism 32, thefilling yarns 41 pass under a stop motion control bar 61, which is partof the conventional winding mechanism 30 disclosed in the abovementioned US. patent. This stop motion control bar 61 is mechani-callyconnected to the drive mechanism of the winding apparatus 30 and isadapted to stop operation of the winding apparatus 30 when the fillingyarn passing thereunder breaks and allows the bar 61 to move to arearward position. This operation is more fully described in the abovementioned US. patent and reference may be had to that patent for thecomplete operation thereof.

Inasmuch as the above discussed stop motion control bar 61 was intendedfor use with only a single filling yarn, it will not function to stopoperation of the winding mechanism 30 when a plurality of filling yarns41 are passing thereunder and only one or less than all of the fillingyarns break. Therefore, individual stop motion means, generallyindicated by the reference numeral 70, for each of the filling yarnsmust be utilized.

The stop motion means comprises a plurality of electrically conductivedrop wires 71 each having an aperture 72 for the passage of anindividual filling yarn 41 therethrough and an elongate slot 73 therein.The stop motion means 70 further includes an electrical circuit,generally indicated by the reference numeral 74, including anyconvenient source of power 75, a line 76 leading from the power source75 to a solenoid 77, a line 78 leading from solenoid 77 to a contact 80of a switch 81, a contact 82 on the other side of the switch 81, a line83 leading from the contact 82 to one side of an electrode contact bar84 passing through the slot 73 in the drop wires 71 and comprisingelectrically conductive plates 35 and 86 insulated from each other tobreak the circuit, a line 87 leading from the other end of the contactbar 84 to ground. The solenoid '17 includes a piston member 88 and ahook member 89 attached to the piston member 88. The hook member 89engages the stop motion control bar 61 to move the bar 61 to a rearwardposition when the solenoid 77 is actuated to retract the piston 88 uponcompletion of the circuit 74. This rearward motion of the stop motioncontrol bar 61 will stop operation of the winding means 30.

The drop wires 71 are normally held in a raised position, as shown inFIGURE 8, out of contact with the plate 85 of the contact bar 84 whenthe filling yarn 41 is unbroken and passing therethrough to maintain thecircuit 74 open. However, if any of the filling yarns 41 break, thecorresponding drop wire 71 will drop into engagement with the plate 85thus completing the circuit through the contact bar 85 and actuating thesolenoid 77 to withdraw the stop motion control bar 61 to stop operationof the winding apparatus 30.

The switch 81 in circuit 74 is a safety switch which is biased to anopen position by spring member 90. The switch 81 includes an arm 91 incontact with the stop motion control bar 61 which normally holds theswitch 811 closed against the bias of spring member 90 during the normalrunning of the filling yarns thereunder. However, upon the breakage of afilling yarn causing actuation of the solenoid 77 and rearward movementof the stop motion bar 61, the stop motion bar 61 will disengage the arm91 to allow the spring member 90 to open the switch 81 following thestopping of the operation of the winding means. This opening of theswitch 81 will open the circuit 74 and prevent sparking between the dropwires 71 and the contact bar 84.

Thus it may be seen that individual stop motion means for each of thefilling yarns is provided which will stop operation of the winding meanswhen any of the filling yarns break to allow an operator to rethread thetensioning and winding means.

From the above description it may be seen that a method and apparatus isprovided for weaving novelty fabric having a plurality of filling yarnsuniformly twisted together in each pick of the fabric to produce thedesired affects and appearances uniformly in the novelty fabric. Thisinvention makes it possible to use conventional bobbin winding equipmentattached to the loom and a conventional automatic bobbin changing loomfor performing the method of this invention.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurposes in limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus in combination with a loom for facilitating the weaving ofa novelty fabric having intertwisted filling yarns and wherein the twistin the filling yarns is more uniform throughout the fabric, said loomincluding a shuttle adapted to receive bobbins of filling yarn, aplurality of relatively large packages of filling yarn carried by theloom for supplying yarn to said filling bobbins, a filling bobbin winderalso carried by the loom, separate means for individually tensioning aplurality of said filling yarns in their path of travel from saidrelatively large packages to said winder, common means to present theyarns in parallel side-by-side relation to the winder, said winder uponbeing actuated winding said filling yarns in parallel side-by-siderelation onto successive filling bobbins, and means for automaticallysupplying the wound filling bobbins from said winder to said shuttle sothat movement of said shuttle across the loom during weaving causeswithdrawal of the filling yarns axially from the bobbin therein tointertwist the filling yarns.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including individual stop motionmeans for each of the filling yarns operatively associated with saidwinder to stop operation thereof when any of the filling yarns breakbetween said filling yarn supply packages and said winder.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which said means fortensioning said filling yarns comprises individual rows of cooperatingdiscs for receiving and tensioning a separate filling yarn in each rowbetween said cooperating discs.

4. In a textile loom having means for winding filling bobbins andsupplying them to the shuttle of the loom; the combination of means forsupplying a plurality of filling yarns to be wound on each bobbin, meansfor separately and individually tensioning each filling yarn betweensaid supply means and said winding means to maintain the filling yarnsseparated so that they are wound uniformly in parallel relationship onthe bobbins by said winding means, indidivual stop motion means for eachof the filling yarns operatively associated with said winding means tostop operation thereof when any of the filling yarns break between saidfilling yarn supply means and said winding means, said stop motion meanscomprises a plurality of electrically conductive drop wires each havingan aperture therein for the passage of an individual filling yarntherethrough and an elongate slot therein, and an electrical circuitoperatively connected with said winding means and adapted to stopoperation thereof when completed, said circuit including an electrodecontact bar passing through said slots in said drop wires comprised oftwo electrically conductive plates insulated from each other to breaksaid circuit, said drop wires being held in a raised position out ofcontact with one of said plates when the filling yarn passingtherethrough is unbroken and being adapted to drop to a lowered positionin contact with both of said plates to complete said circuit throughsaid contact bar to stop operation of said winding means when thefilling yarn is broken and does not pass therethrough and a safetyswitch which is normally closed to complete said circuit therethroughand which is opened to open said circuit following the stopping of theoperation of said winding means to prevent sparking between said dropwires and said contact bar.

5. In a textile loom having means for winding filling bobbins andsupplying them to the shuttle of the loom; the combination of means forsupplying a plurality of filling yarns to be wound on each bobbin, meansfor separately and individually tensioning each filling yarn betweensaid supply means and said winding means to maintain the filling yarnsseparated so that they are wound uniformly in parallel relationship onthe bobbins by said winding means, said tensioning means comprisingindividual rows of cooperating discs for receiving and tensioning aseparate filling yarn in each row between said cooperating discs,individual stop motion means for each of the filling yarns operativelyassociated with said winding means to stop operation thereof when any ofthe filling yarns break between said filling yarn supply meansand saidwinding means, said stop motion means comprising a plurality ofelectrically conductive drop wires each having an aperture therein forthe passage of an individual filling yarn therethrough and an elongateslot therein, and an electrical circuit operatively connected with saidwinding means and adapted to stop operation thereof when completed, saidcircuit including an electrode contact bar passing through said slots insaid drop wires comprised of two electrically conductive platesinsulated from each other to break said circuit, said drop wires beingheld in 7 8 a raised position out of contact with one of said platesReferences Cited by the Examiner when the filling yarn passingtherethrough is unbroken UNITED STATES PATENTS and being adapted to dropto a lowered position in contact with both of said plates to completesaid circuit through 1 $22 'd ttbtt t" f'dd' y 1S sa1 on ac ar 0 s opopera 10H 0 sai WlIl mg means 0 2,638,936 5/1953 Goodhue et a]. 139 224when the filling yarn is broken and does not pass therethrough and asafety switch which is normally closed to 2668563 2/1954 PaIOIPbO139-358 complete said circuit therethrough and which is opened 2,957,49811/1960 Mamn 139 358 to open said circuit following the stopping of theoperation of said winding means to prevent sparking between 10 MERVINSTEIN Pr'mary Examme said drop wires and said Contact bar. H, S, JAUDON,Assistant Examiner.

1. APPARATUS IN COMBINATION WITH A LOOM FOR FACILITATING THE WEAVING OFA NOVELTY FABRIC HAVING INTERTWISTED FILLING YARNS AND WHEREIN THE TWISTIN THE FILLING YARNS IS MORE UNIFORM THROUGHOUT THE FABRIC, SAID LOOMINCLUDING A SHUTTLE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE BOBBINS OF FILLING YARN APLURALITY OF RELATIVELY LARGE PACKAGES OF FILLING YARN CARRIED BY THELOOM FOR SUPPLYING YARN TO SAID FILLING BOBBINS, A FILLING BOBBIN WINDERALSO CARRIED BY THE LOOM, SEPARATE MEANS FOR INDIVIDUALLY TENSIONING APLURALITY OF SAID FILLING YARNS IN THEIR PATH OF TRAVEL FROM SAIDRELATIVELY LARGE PACKAGES TO SAID WINDER, COMMON MEANS TO PRESENT THEYARNS IN PARALLEL SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION TO THE WINDER, SAID WINDER UPONBEING ACTUATED WINDING SAID FILLING YARNS IN PARALLEL SIDE-BY-SIDERELATION ONTO SUCCESSIVE FILLING BOBBINS, AND MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLYSUPPLYING THE WOUND FILLING BOBBINS FROM SAID WINDER TO SAID SHUTTLE SOTHAT MOVEMENT OF SAID SHUTTLE ACROSS THE LOOM DURING WEAVING CASUESWITHDRAWAL OF THE FILLING YARNS AXIALLY FROM THE BOBBIN THEREINTOINTERTWIST THE FILLING YARNS.